Chapter 59 — Malice
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 4 of 8
"I—me too," Zhang Qingyue said, looking at him in the same way. A moment later the two suddenly exchanged a smile, and let out a long breath together.
"It's good that you're back—we'll still sweep away the demon cult together, and take our revenge together!" Lin Jinghong said with a smile, gripping Zhang Qingyue's shoulder.
"Right," Zhang Qingyue said with a firm nod.
Lin Jinghong's emotions slowly steadied, and his face grew much calmer. Looking at Zhang Qingyue's face, now a little weathered by hardship, a shadow of gloom suddenly crossed his brow, and he said: "When I heard you had descended the mountain, I was glad for you and at the same time hated myself. To think that all these years I have wasted the Master's high hopes for me, and my achievements fall short of yours instead."
Zhang Qingyue was startled and shook his head: "Jingyu, you must not say such things—who does not know your aptitude surpasses mine tenfold? If I had met you in the last tournament, I would surely have lost. It is only that I have been a little luckier, nothing more."
Lin Jinghong let out a breath and broke into a hearty laugh. "Fair enough. I'll train harder from now on—I refuse to believe I'll never beat you. But don't you dare slack off either."
Zhang Qingyue laughed aloud and nodded vigorously.
While the two of them stood there reminiscing, Tian Lingsu was still pouting and coaxing her mother, and Su Wan was smiling as she consoled her.
After chatting with Lin Jinghong a while, Zhang Qingyue glanced toward where his sect stood, then seized Lin Jinghong's hand. "Come, let me introduce you to my master and my senior brothers."
To his surprise, Lin Jinghong gave a snort and muttered, "Your squat-melon of a master? Forget it."
Zhang Qingyue glared at him. "Don't talk nonsense." And with that he dragged him over by force.
Lin Jinghong wore a look of helpless resignation and had no choice but to follow. As they drew near, Zhang Qingyue was about to speak when he suddenly noticed that, over where Tian Lingsu was talking with his master's wife Su Wan, someone had appeared without his knowing when—tall and elegant, handsome and dashing. It was Qi Hao.
Qi Hao said a few words to Tian Lingsu in a gentle voice, and she burst out laughing on the spot, not a trace of anger left in her. Her smile was like a flower, and right there before everyone she took Qi Hao by the hand and walked over toward Tian Buhui.
Zhang Qingyue felt a buzz in his head, a blank white void, and in an instant there was no other sight left in the world—only his senior sister leading Qi Hao by the hand, coming toward him. Dimly he heard Lin Jinghong beside him, a hint of amusement in his voice, murmuring, "Your squat-melon master was dead set against Senior Brother Qi and Senior Sister Tian being together, but Senior Brother Qi went and begged the master, and the master has always thought highly of him, so he asked the sect leader to put in a word. Your master had no choice but to agree. Heh, look at them—they're out in the open now..."
Lin Jinghong broke off mid-sentence, his mouth slightly open, staring at Zhang Qingyue beside him.
At this moment Zhang Qingyue seemed to have become a different person altogether; it was as if a wildfire of fury had suddenly blazed up from the depths of his heart, hot enough to burn his very body to ash.
He felt as though he were being roasted alive in the hellfire of the nine underworlds—and ahead of him, that man, and the beautiful woman he loved most in all the world, their hands were clasped together as they came walking toward him.
The black-iron staff that had always lain hidden at his waist now stirred with that familiar icy chill, coursing through his whole body—yet instead of cooling that blazing fire, it seemed only to pour oil on it. A murderous, vicious aura, a thirst for blood and slaughter—and just like that, Zhang Qingyue's face was twisted out of shape.